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Private parking is an added bonus, since almost... - Review of Palmer Home Bed and Breakfast

See above--too much to right just one sentence! Private parking is an added bonus, since almost all parking is on the street, and most is metered in 2-hour increments during the week. Be sure to visit the Calhoun House, right around the corner, with amazing objects d'art from every corner of the globe, the first elevator in a private home, beautiful gardens and coy ponds, and a knowledgeable tour guide. The admission price is well worth it. The open-air "market" downtown has been completely redone, and there are many museums and art galleries to visit within the downtown and historical districts. Palmer House is truly "The Pink Palace."

Stayed February 2013

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Ask cgfurr about Palmer Home Bed and Breakfast

This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.

Really enjoyed the stay but had two things that kept the Palmer Home from a perfect score. We had a front room with a perfect view but had to go across the hallway to a private bathroom. It didn't bother me but my wife had a problem with it. Probably a trade off for the best room in the Inn.

My wife also found a problem with the cleanliness of the kitchen. I am not as picky and I just enjoyed the breakfast each morning and the wine and cheese each evening. I would gladly return to the same room and I think my wife would too.

Stayed February 2013, traveled as a couple

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Ask JMcLauchlin about Palmer Home Bed and Breakfast

This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.

This is a beautiful old mansion on the waterfront that is full of antique furniture and memorabilia. The rooms are very nice and the staff are gracious and very helpful. Breakfast and afternoon wine and cheese are served in the huge living room overlooking the harbor. We spent some quality time sipping wine on the second floor balcony watching dolphins in the harbor and waving at other tourists on the horse and carriage tours as they passede the house We had a great visit and intend to go back. I would certainly recommend the Palmer Home . Libby the concierge was particularly helpful.

Room Tip: There are 4 guest rooms on the third floor and a separate carriage house. Descriptions of each room...

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Stayed February 2013, traveled as a couple

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Ask MrBillHixson about Palmer Home Bed and Breakfast

This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.

We bought a Groupon for a two night stay at the Palmer House in July and immediately made a reservation for March 20 and 21st. 2013. The Groupon purchase covered the room cost but not the room tax. The Palmer House charged the room tax to my visa as authorized. In early February I received a call from the Palmer House saying they would be unable to honor the prepaid Groupon but would honor the same rate as the Groupon and I could get a refund from Groupon for my purchase. The first response from Groupon was a refund in Groupon bucks which could be used in the future with to purchase Groupons. At this point I elected to cancel the trip rather than put out additional funds and was told by Francess Palmer that she would put through a refund that day for the room tax that I was charged. I followed up with an e-mail when the refund was not showing after a couple of weeks with no response from the Palmer House. After protesting with Groupon that I should receive a refund they have refunded my credit card in full. There has been no refund or response after a month regarding a refund of the room tax. Since the Inn did not honor the stay I will next pursue this with my credit card.

Room Tip: Go elsewhere to avoid dealing with the Palmer House

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Stayed March 2013, traveled as a couple

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Ask GH23MT about Palmer Home Bed and Breakfast

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PalmerHome, General Manager at Palmer Home Bed and Breakfast, responded to this review,
March 15, 2013

Hello GH23MT,

I am sorry to hear that you had a difficult time receiving a full refund from Groupon. It's really a shame that they were not able to honor their obligations (to you OR to us). In light of recent news events--e.g., the recent firing and subsequent replacement of Groupon's founder and CEO--I think it is a safe assumption that they are having troubles of their own. As a member of the Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce, we are aware that Groupon has failed to compensate multiple small businesses in our area. While we would love to extend the breadth of our Southern Hospitality standards, it is just not realistic for us to provide free room and board, which is why we were forced to inform our future Groupon guests that we could no longer honor their vouchers. We gave our guests well over a month before their upcoming reservations with us to contact Groupon and get their refund before we asked for a direct payment from the guest (at the same discounted rate); we are empathetic about having such a substantial amount of money tied up in multiple places.

I, personally, have spoken to 60 guests about this matter, explaining that our hands are tied and requesting their assistance through a direct payment to us. 59 guests have been nothing but gracious and understanding. These 59 guests have also had very little trouble receiving the full refund from Groupon in a timely manner because it part of their contract with their customers. As stated clearly on each and every Groupon voucher, "If the merchant refuses to honor this voucher because the promotional value has expired or for any other reason, Groupon will refund the purchaser the amount paid. Period." If it weren't for this clause, the Palmer Home Bed and Breakfast would have been forced to bite the bullet and receive no payment for services rendered because we would have never asked our guests to cancel their Groupons if we were not absolutely certain that they would receive a full refund.

I would also like to add that I am currently holding in my hand the receipt for your refund of the tax for your room. The receipt is dated March 3, 2013, with a total of -$36.44, so I would implore you to take a second look at your credit card statement. This is something that I would have investigated had you called me directly instead of posting a review for accommodations that you never had.

Best regards,Libby Lechner

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Five of us stayed in the Carriage house and brought my dog. Perfect accommodation for group, family or accompanying dog. The Carriage House had great charm. Occupants in upstairs bedrooms wake to a fabulous view of the sun rising over the bay and Fort Sumter. Rooms are comfortable, beautiful but not stuffy. Downstairs has a nice functional little kitchen, dining area and very comfortable den that we enjoyed greatly after standing all day working the food and wine festival. As another pointed out, the den is not furnished completely in antiques. This reviewer obviously doesn't know a great deal about style of furniture. The couches are not "50's" but over stuffed contemporary. This is exactly what is needed in this setting, seeing that the carriage house is designed for family use and accompanying pets...Access to the main house was an experience! A delicious full breakfast is served in the dining room every morning. Guests are allowed to eat in the "drawing room." We were told by two hosts that the staff would prepare anything we wanted for breakfast. I did venture from the buffet and request French toast that was very good. Later in the day, wine, cheese and other snacks are served.... So interesting to hear the history of the house from Francess, the third generation owner.... All the staff was great. Libby, the concierge, was especially helpful and accommodating without being all over us every time we went to the main house. She even offered to walk our dog! Libby told us about nearby puppy parks that we did take our dog to. Our stay was very comfortable and our needs were well met. The Palmer house is beautiful and loaded with visual history. My husband and I have visited Charleston many times over the years and stayed in many diverse accommodations. One often must give up some things in order to get other things. This time our group was in Charleston on business. We will certainly be staying there again, for business or vacation.

Stayed March 2013, traveled on business

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Ask Anne M about Palmer Home Bed and Breakfast

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PalmerHome, Manager at Palmer Home Bed and Breakfast, responded to this review,
March 29, 2013

Thank you Anne! It was such a pleasure hosting you, your family, and your handsome dog, Alfie. I hope that you stay with us again on your next visit to Charleston. I've never had the pleasure of meeting such a charming family who also makes their own gin!

Best wishes to you all and cheers to the success of Cardinal gin.

Libby

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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of TripAdvisor LLC.

Staying in a bed and breakfast, you have to be prepared for things to be different, sometimes very different, from staying in a chain hotel. Different can mean good and it can mean not so good. Here are some of the good aspects of the Palmer Home. The breakfast room looks straight out on to Charleston Harbor and right dead center is Fort Sumpter, where the Civil War began. Residents of this house watched the initial bombardment from the home's piazza. How many other hotels can give you that experience? Many of the furnishings in the house are original and 150-200 years old. So some of them are what you might think of as `a bit shabby'. Sure, but you won't find things like that in a Marriott. King Street and Broad Street are five minutes walk away, with some of the country's best restaurants only a little farther walk. There's a very pleasant park just around the corner on the Battery. If you want to hang around the house all day, it's big enough that nobody will bother you, even if you are in the large public rooms. There's a swimming pool (which wasn't open because it was February and near freezing but presumably is open in warmer weather). Not so good was our room, which was a kind of add-on to the carriage house and too small for all the furniture in it. There was a mix-up about our reservation (my wife didn't read the advice to call them if you arrive after 4 p.m.) and so we ended up with that room rather than the one we had reserved. I'd avoid booking that room (the heater is very noisy) and go for something in the main house. Some people have complained about the breakfast. Seemed like a fine traditional Southern breakfast to us -- grits, bacon, scrambled eggs, biscuits (some a bit burned on the bottom but that sometimes happens when you bake them in house) juice, coffee, etc. The afternoon wine was o.k., Lindemans and perfectly drinkable. If you want a $50 wine, you're welcome to bring it. The service is a bit hit and miss, not always easy to find someone on the desk, but the kitchen staff were nice enough to dig out something to settle my wife's upset stomach (got from a food truck, not the B&B). If you want to experience a glimpse of authentic Charleston, this is as good a place as any.

Room Tip: Book a room in the main house

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Stayed February 2013, traveled with family

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Ask dannykent about Palmer Home Bed and Breakfast

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My husband and I have visited Charleston often and we thoroughly enjoyed our stay. The house was in walking distance of downtown Charleston which we enjoyed greatly. Francis Palmer was a gracious hostess who made sure that our stay was enjoyable. Yes, the house is old but it is 160 years old. The bed was comfortable and warm. We look forward to visiting again.

Stayed January 2013, traveled as a couple

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Ask LovesToTravel360 about Palmer Home Bed and Breakfast

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Also Known As:

Palmer Home Hotel Charleston

Palmer Home b&b

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